Domaine de Lorient: A Winegrowing Farm

Domaine de Lorient is the story of a meeting, that of Laure Colombo and Dimitri Roulleau-Gallais . Laure is a winemaker by birth. Her passion for winemaking was passed down to her by her father, Jean-Luc , whose estate is emblematic of the Cornas appellation. In 2010, with her oenology degree in hand, Laure set off to travel the world as a consultant for various estates in France and even as far away as New Zealand.

Laure's dream lies elsewhere: to create her own estate, to craft her wines with respect for nature, where all the work is done by hand. She and her partner Dimitri took the plunge, immersing themselves in this ambitious organic polyculture project, aiming to return to the way winemakers used to be: farmers with diversified income streams, partially freeing themselves from the vagaries of the weather.

In 2014 , Laure and Dimitri took over this 18-hectare Ardèche farm, which had fallen into disuse and was nestled on the heights of Saint Péray, in the locality known as Lorient .

Today, Domaine de Lorient consists of 4 hectares of vines in white grape varieties (70% Roussanne, 30% Marsanne) and 1 hectare of Syrah from a plot located just above Chaillot in Cornas .

The farm-like aspect of Domaine de Lorient is its keystone. It allows Laure and Dimitri to achieve their founding objective in their way of working, from the vine to the cellar: a manual approach, respecting living things, without treatments or additives.

When they took over the farm in 2014, everything needed to be done, including creating conditions favorable to the development of living things and achieving a certain level of self-sufficiency to feed their family.

With their sleeves rolled up, Laure and Dimitri will plant more than 2000 forest and fruit trees , a primary condition for the nesting of birds, the primary regulators of parasitic life.

The six beehives supply the family and a few lucky customers with honey. The bees are pampered, as every other row of vines is planted with bee-friendly plants.

The flock of sheep grazes the grass between the rows of vines while naturally nourishing the vines. They are assisted by Jersey cows to meet the primary needs for milk and meat, as well as for yogurt, cheese, and ice cream.

Laure and Dimitri supplement their food supply with a vegetable garden, part of which is located among the vines. The fruit trees provide jams and apple juice. Wild foraging allows them to make herbal teas.

And because all good things are even better shared, Domaine de Lorient offers wine tourism stays with bed and breakfast accommodations throughout the season. To nourish both body and soul, the estate offers dinners in July prepared by chefs and winemakers, accompanied by artistic performances, relaxation workshops, or theatrical productions.

Our aim here is to illustrate the sincerity, relevance and consistency of the estate in its creation of wines made with respect for life.

From the moment they arrived at the farm, Laure and Dimitri worked to provide protective barriers and natural stimulation for their vines.

The terroir is composed of a "Gore" type granite structure. The plots are protected from the wind by hedges and trees planted by Laure and Dimitri . The vines are exposed to the rising sun and protected from its rays at the end of the day.

The 4 hectares of Roussanne and Marsanne are spread around the farmhouse located at an altitude of 500m in Saint-Péray. The small hectare of Syrah is located in Cornas at an altitude of 300m near "Chaillots". These vines were planted in the 1990s and are the result of massal selection.

Promoting the development of life in the soils involves constant grassing and, at the beginning of the season, mulching the vines with shredded plants.

At harvest time, the grapes are carefully placed in small 28kg crates and transferred to the cellar in less than 30 minutes before being sorted and pressed. Fermentation occurs using the natural yeasts of the vine.

The wines are aged in 228L and 400L barrels and can last up to 18 months for Cornas. The aim is to fully express the fruit's aromas by carefully and meticulously monitoring the evolution of the juices during their aging process.

All the wines tasted from Domaine de Lorient place it among the highlights of this year. If you happen to be passing near the estate during your travels, don't hesitate to stop by.

Saute-Mouton is both generous and fresh, it will pair well with creamy cheeses, veal stew, pot-au-feu, monkfish with curry and coconut milk.

The Hunters' Cabin: Pure Indulgence